I’ve got M.S. Kaye on the ranch today to share her latest book Once & Forever with us. Lets sit back and enjoy.

Writing Inspirational Fiction without Preaching

I’m a bit of a stubborn person (my husband would say that’s an understatement), so when I read a fiction title and I get a lecture about how I’m supposed to live, it annoys me. And, of course, I feel bad for being annoyed, like I’m not being a good Christian. Ugh! I read fiction for fun, not to feel inadequate and guilty.

Here are some things to consider when writing fiction with an inspirational vibe (Christian or not).

Focus on the story. When I set out to write Once, I didn’t intend to make it inspirational. I think that’s why I’m happy with the result. I set out to write a story about characters who happened to have strong ties to their religion.

No author intrusion. Don’t stuff your opinions into the mouths and thoughts of your characters. Show who your characters are through their actions. Every scene must support the story. Also, be sure you do not include scenes for the sole purpose of getting your opinions across. If it doesn’t move the plot forward, CUT IT.

Do not preach. Unless you work in a church or you’re the second coming of Jesus, no one wants to hear your opinion of how they should live. If you feel you need to share your vast knowledge of religious texts or lifestyle, you should not be writing fiction. Consider nonfiction.

Respect your audience. If you generally think people do not live their lives the “right way,” you probably shouldn’t be writing.

Inspire through the plot. People may not want to be preached to, but they do want to be inspired. This life can be tough; it’s nice to escape into a story that shows how things can work out, or how things going wrong can sometimes lead you down a better path.

Actually, all the above applies to all fiction. Funny how the rules of craft know no religion.

***

Once & Forever

(Once series, Bk 3)

Genre: contemporary romance

Length: Novella

Heat Level:1- sweet

Publisher: Inkspell Publishing

Cover artist: Najla Qamber

Release date: December 5, 2016

book 3:

by M.S. Kaye

Who is the mysterious Santa who leaves toys on the convent steps?

After a twelve-year separation, Eden is finally reunited with her brother, Thomas, but why hadn’t she reached out to him in all those years? Eden, a nun, is constantly struggling against her dark past of living on the streets, and her attraction to Trace, an ex-convict farm worker. As Eden and Trace confess their pasts to each other and grow closer, will they be able to resist getting too close?

Excerpt:

“You know what he did to git sent to prison?” one of the convenience store clerks murmured to the other.

Trace could just hear them over the horrible rendition of “Jingle Bells” playin’ through the speakers. He ignored them, like he always did. He tried to come into town late in the evening to avoid people as much as possible, but that also meant it was quiet enough that he could often hear what people murmured about him. Once he’d grabbed some protein bars and a can of beer, he headed up to the counter to pay.

The clerk with a buzz-cut told him the total, and Trace handed him some cash.

Neither of the clerks made eye contact with him, but they both hovered over the cash register as if he might snatch it and run.

“Thank you.” Trace stuffed the change in his pocket, took the bag of protein bars in one hand and his beer in the other, and walked out of the store.

He headed for the back lot toward the alley. He could get through most of downtown by way of the alley. This late at night it was almost too dark to see where he was goin’, but that was part of what he liked about it.

“Bitch,” someone growled. And then the sound of something—or someone—smacking into the brick wall of the back of the convenience store.

Trace moved more quickly and turned the corner, and he caught sight of a skinny, young woman punching a man in the face. His head snapped back. But then another man slammed his fist across her jaw. She looked so frail that the punch seemed like shooting a cannon ball at a piece of notebook paper.

M.S. Kaye has several published books under her black belt. A transplant from Ohio, she resides with her husband Corey in Jacksonville, Florida, where she tries not to melt in the sun. Find suspense and the unusual at www.BooksByMSK.com.

To receive news on upcoming releases, sign up for email updates on her website.

Can you believe this is the fourth year for UnCover Monthly? This month, however, will be the last of UCM as you’ve come to know this wonderful feature. Beginning in January or February I will be introducing a revamped UnCover Monthly. Stay tuned for more covers and specials in the new year! I’m very excited!!

In the meantime, go HEREto get the application, then hurry and submit your covers for 2017! Remember, the early bird gets the earliest slots.😀

For now, enjoy more awesome cover art by the incredible authors, publishers and artists who make them possible for you to gaze upon each month.

It would be great if you leave a comment letting everyone know what you think about them and maybe even check out a few author links to meet those behind the books. Or just say hi. Don’t forget to tell your friends to stop by so they can appreciate some greatness, or get in on the fun, too!

This feature is only to highlight the authors and artists (though if you see one you want to buy I’m sure the authors won’t mind 😆 ). Enjoy this months’ covers to ogle and explore. If there is one provided, you can follow the artist links by clicking on the name, if there’s an artist link provided, to learn more about the amazing creators of these beautiful covers.

There’s a heat level rating for covers, one through four scale, for your benefit. You should never see a *5* rating on the Ranch since I don’t feature anything erotic in nature. If there’s anything else you’d like to know about covers being revealed here, please don’t hesitate to let me know. You can leave it either in a comment or by my contact pagehttps://calisarhose.com/say-hey/.

The conference for counter-terrorist cooperation in Lima was meticulously prepared. But for all that Ethan and the team of bodyguards can’t avoid a clash with assassins trying to kill the Secretary of State and an encounter with the resident drug cartel out for revenge. Once more the couple fights for their lives.

But when she sees Orion at The Knights’ Gala, she wonders if it might be possible to find happiness again. It won’t be easy when there are others who are intent on keeping them apart.

For Orion, no other woman is like her.

But winning Maggie back doesn’t mean he’s going to stop looking for Darius’ killer. They may have taken his Master’s life, but he’ll be damned before he allows them to steal his reputation. However, getting too close to the truth forces Orion into hiding, leaving Maggie alone to face their enemies.

Can Orion and The Forgotten Ones take on The Eleven and win?

The Eleven members of the Grand Council hold all the power. Can the ragtag group Orion gathered help him to restore his Master’s good name and give the people back a Knight to remember? Or will taking the risk mean losing the people he loves?

Aimee Sherwood never dreamed that following her fiancé into the witness protection pro-gram would land her in a haunted house in a town that’s downright creepy. She’d have laughed if she had been told the guy who lives down the road might be her soul mate, not the man whose ring she’s wearing. Life in West Virginia is nothing like life in Los Angeles, but between bean ball battles with Marilyn Monroe, remodeling a crumbling farmhouse, and starting a new online business, life in the country is anything but boring.

Teresa Worthington escapes her abusive boyfriend, Alex, and flees to Paris to pursue a dream career in art. Along and wary of men, she gradually makes friends and explores her new home.

She is distraught to learn that Alex is still stalking her but is determined to create the life she had always wanted.

Handsome, compassionate, and brave, Serge Gervais, a young Frenchman, slowly wins her trust. He show her the sights of France and promises to protect her from Alex. Teresa finds herself falling in love for the first time until the unspeakable happens. Alex tracks her down and forces her into the catacombs beneath the city. Will Serge find Teresa in time to prevent Alex’s vengeance?

Three decades. Two continents. One secret… that could cost him everything.

Too. Many. Secrets… and Vinnie Falco is buried in them. He works undercover day and night to keep watch over Jo Notaro, whose fiery temperament matches her boundless energy and unparalleled beauty.

Jo is unable to withstand the endless scrutiny and constant surveillance, so when Vinnie’s ever-watchful gaze lingers too long, she can feel his touch—and she doesn’t know if she loathes it or loves it.

Vinnie’s job to watch Jo goes much deeper. He’s a vice president of an international corporation, a front the Medici Protectorate, a brotherhood which continues a tradition going back nearly 500 years to guard the Medici line. Jo and her sisters are the descendants of the Medici and someone wants them dead.

But Vinnie has another secret he’s desperately trying to hide. A secret that could push Jo too far away for even him to save her.

Is it coincidence or karma that lands a stubborn loner in an animal shelter run by his soulmate? In this sensual contemporary romance novella (the third in the dog-lovers’ “Klein’s K-9s” series), two deserving people discover there’s so much more to life than work.

After a night of raucous partying in a North Carolina town, country music star Ryan “Rowdy” Gates is sentenced to two months of community service at the Jenkins Animal Shelter. The last thing he expects is to bond with the caring shelter workers and nurture an abandoned puppy. The biggest surprise, however, is seeing his secret high-school crush all grown up and in charge of the shelter. Fifteen years ago, she was way out-of-his-league. Is it possible life has handed him a second chance?

Shelter director Cindi Landon has dreamed of Ryan since she was sixteen. How can she supervise his court-ordered work when just being near him makes her body sing. He’s returning to Nashville in sixty days, and she’s not sure which she’d regret more—letting this chance to be with him slip away or starting an affair that could leave her heartbroken. But when she sees him bottle-feeding a tiny Basset Hound puppy named Buddy, Cindi knows it’s already too late to protect her heart.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

He fought for king and country, but that battle is nothing compared to the one he’ll wage for a woman’s heart.

Still reeling from the news of her father’s death during the Norman Conquest, Isabel Dumont is unprepared when trouble arrives at the castle gates. Alexandre d’Èvreux, a Norman knight with close ties to England’s new king, has arrived to secure the land and the loyalties of the Dumont family. Desperate to protect her people, Isabel strives to keep the confounding knight at arm’s length and hide the truth about her father’s death.

For Alexandre, the spoils of war come with more than just a generous gift of land. They come with Isabel Dumont. Vowing to marry only for love, Alexandre finds himself in a difficult situation as a conqueror granted dominion over the land and its people. Isabel is the one person capable of helping him win the regard of those living in the war-torn country…if he chooses to accept her.

Just when Alexandre finds a spark of hope that he and Isabel have a chance at love, she vanishes. His quest to find her plunges him deeper into the conquest’s fallout. Was she taken? Or did she leave?

CONTENT WARNING: Entering into this novel may cause extreme affection toward knights of old, admiration for strong-willed women, and the overwhelming belief that love really can conquer all.

Worst. Day. Ever. After Lyssa Barnett’s sister tricks her into reprising her role at Snowflake Valley’s annual children’s party, she doesn’t think anything can be worse than squeezing into her too-small elf costume. Then tall, dark, and way too handsome Nick Tavlock shows up to play Santa…and an unexpected storm leaves them snowbound in the isolated lodge.

The last thing Nick wants is to spend a cozy Christmas Eve with a trio of kids and the woman who dumped him. But as much as Lyssa frustrates him, he can’t stop thinking about her. And soon, he’s fighting very un-Santa-like thoughts of kissing a certain sexy Miss Elf under the mistletoe. As Nick starts to fall for Lyssa all over again, he knows it will take nothing short of a miracle to have Lyssa in his arms on Christmas Day.

When Camille Dagneau finds a strange man searching the college machine shop she runs, she’s ready for battle. Ryan MacAllister acts equally suspicious of her, but he claims he’s merely looking for his missing uncle, who disappeared while hunting for a lost treasure. He believes Camie is the key to finding the treasure, and his uncle. But beautiful, brilliant, and prickly Camie isn’t about to trust this oversized geologist, or the attraction she feels.

Following the clues in the missing man’s journal will take Camie, Ryan, and Camie’s remarkable cat Tiger on a trail through New Mexico and Arizona. They’ll visit the Tombstone graveyard at night, uncover clues in museums, and ultimately wind up in Skeleton Canyon, where legend says nineteenth-century cowboy bandits hid their treasure. To rescue Ryan’s uncle, they’ll face steep cliffs, twisty tunnels, and worse dangers in human form, but trusting each other may be the biggest challenge. And they’re running out of time…

If you love suspense and romance, don’t miss this gripping adventure! The Southwest Treasure Hunters novels include The Mad Monk’s Treasure and The Dead Man’s Treasure. Each novel stands alone in this series mixing action and adventure with light romance.

Welcome one and all! Grab a beverage of choice, something sweet and sinful. The guest gets first pick!😉 Take a comfy seat for another, or a first, spin in the Round Pen.

I’m thrilled to welcome my wonderfully talented guest today, Adam Mann, who is sharing his book, Love in the Boondocks with us!

Please show Adam some real Ranch love!

Before I get to the nosy 5-3-4 part of this interview, tell us a bit about you. What made you decide to write romantic fiction and do you find it difficult as a man in a woman’s world so-to-speak?

I have been married four times, as my previous work made it difficult for my wives to live with me. My first wife died, my second could not face the remoteness, my third had to get the marriage annulled as she had forgotten to get divorced, but for the last 20 years I’ve been happily married to a widow with three children, to add to four of my own, and now we have five grandchildren.

My goodness! Now I’m curious what you used to do for a living.😉

Okay, moving on. I’ll begin with five questions, then follow with three more, and end with four final ones.

My writing area at the moment is a cozy chair in the corner of my living room, though I do have a lovely new office hubby remodeled just for me. What does your writing space look like?

I have a large chunk of my bedroom as my office, and in here I control internet WiFi, printer and scanner for the rest of the house. I am not a tidy worker, and tend to have reference books and peppermints scattered in any free space.

I’ve had a couple of “bedroom offices” over the years. For a lot of writers it’s a life-altering event coming up with titles and character names. Others it comes as naturally as breathing. Which is it for you?

Not life-shattering. I like writing and usually write 3,000 words a day, so about ten days for a novel, but not every day, say once a month. It also takes a week or two to edit and rewrite the novel, and another few days to decide on and design a cover.

What advice would you offer aspiring and new writers?

Just put your head down and write. Avoid distractions like children and animals, and even wives who come to clean around you! Granddaughters only excepted from this rule.

Yes, it’s hard to ignore those little ones. LOL The constant shift of the industry makes me often scratch my head and ask ‘what next?’ So, what do you think it takes to be a successful author at the moment?

I have to spend a lot of my time promoting my books, mainly on Twitter and FaceBook, but also as a guest on blogs like this.

Who would you like to meet in the publishing industry- dead or alive- and why?

J K Rawlings – her imagination!

It’s time for 3 in 1! I’ll ask the questions and you answer them in one word.

Favorite animal? Large dog

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? Spring

Favorite food? Cheese, toasted mainly

Well done!🙂

Okay, what are you working on now?

The Man who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo – a thriller.

What are you sharing today?

Love in the Boondocks:

Kim is divorced by her uncaring husband when she is working in a remote area, but she meets an attractive man and immediately her divorce is finalized she plans to make herself available hopefully for a long term relationship. Fair enough until you consider her working environment, the living conditions, and emotions, not to mention raging hormones!

Welcome one and all! Enjoy more awesome cover art by the incredible authors, publishers and artists who made them possible for you to gaze upon each month.

It would be great if you leave a comment letting everyone know what you think about them and maybe even check out a few author links to meet those behind the books. Or just say hi. Don’t forget to tell your friends to stop by so they can appreciate some greatness, or get in on the fun, too!

This feature is only to highlight the authors and artists (though if you see one you want to buy I’m sure the authors won’t mind 😆 ). Enjoy this months’ covers to ogle and explore. If there is one provided, you can follow the artist links by clicking on the name, if there’s an artist link provided, to learn more about the amazing creators of these beautiful covers.

There’s a heat level rating for covers, one through four scale, for your benefit. You should never see a *5* rating on the Ranch since I don’t feature anything erotic in nature. If there’s anything else you’d like to know about covers being revealed here, please don’t hesitate to let me know. You can leave it either in a comment or by my contact pagehttps://calisarhose.com/say-hey/.

He’s good looking, but not an absolute knockout. With Max’s charm though, he could have any woman he wants. Once he meets Faith, he doesn’t want anyone else.

Eli. He is a knockout.

But a dark past shadows him and holds him captive. Drinking dulls the pain, but meeting Faith makes him want to change all that.

Faith. She loves them both.

When a blackout brings her together with Eli, she’s happier than she’s ever been before. When another blackout tears them apart, Max is there to pick up the pieces. But can she forget the man who first made her whole?

The streets are a battleground for humans, vampires, and demons alike—where survival is a skill, love is a weapon, and the most dangerous act is to care for another . . .Keir is an assassin devoted to Lady Arianne, the last of her royal bloodline. He is sworn to protect her, and that means eliminating any threat to her life. But while on a mission, he is set upon by a pack of demons, barely escaping with his life. Cleopatra lives by a set of rules so rigid she no longer knows her true self. But her kind and loving nature resurfaces when she finds a man, bloodied and dying. Moved to help him, she risks her future and her life to save a stranger far below her aristocratic station. Their attraction to each other is as powerful as it is forbidden. But even as their love grows, Keir keeps his true identity a secret—and this lie is not the only threat to their love…or their lives.

Braden Brandish was on top of the world as guitarist for the famed rock band Edge of Redemption. But an attack at the scene of a fire erased all his memories.

Firefighter Quinn Callahan is haunted by the victim she resuscitated—she knows him from somewhere, but can’t place him. She checks up on him at the hospital and realizes he’s a member of her favorite band. When Braden mistakenly believes she’s his wife, the doctor encourages her to play along in order to prevent jeopardizing his health.

Desire blooms between them, even once Braden learns he’s not really married to Quinn. But when it’s discovered that the fire was actually arson, and more deadly fires erupt, the two are thrust into danger…and it appears Quinn’s fugitive ex-husband might be involved. Will Braden regain his memory in time to put a killer behind bars?

Four years ago, Emily Shea and Staff Sergeant Brett Leeds agreed to part with no strings attached. Sparks flew during their brief affair, but fate intervened, sending Brett overseas. When an unexpected pregnancy derailed Emily’s own plans, her attempts to locate Brett were soon overwhelmed by the challenges of single motherhood. Now, Brett has returned home, and Emily is forced to share her secret. Despite feeling betrayed, Brett is determined to forge a relationship with their son, Tyler. As the former lovers battle both their inner demons and their mutual desire, another presence enters their lives—Tyler’s imaginary friend. Soon, however, the chilling evidence points to a different conclusion: a ghost has formed a dangerous connection with their son. Emily’s attempts to help both a lost soul and a friend in need spiral toward a deadly confrontation, and Brett must race to save Emily before he loses her again—forever.

Deshi Han, a martial arts actor and director, thinks a serious relationship would hamper his career. On a charity trip to the typhoon ravaged Philippines he agrees to take a young American woman back to Hong Kong to rest and regain her memory.

Once back in Hong Kong, Deshi reluctantly allows the woman he names Annie, to accompany him on the movie sets and on his trips across China. Despite his attempts to remain aloof with Annie, a romance develops between them.

Meanwhile, Annie is troubled by nightmares which allude to a danger lurking from her past and someone on Deshi’s crew is trying to sabotage their budding romance. As Deshi is forced repeatedly to disrupt his work schedule to protect Annie, it serves to confirm his belief that careers and relationships don’t mix.

But when it looks like Deshi will lose Annie, and he risks everything to save her, will it be too late?

What if a life-changing letter arrived in today’s mail? Now imagine it leads to love and adventure! From the northern British Isles, across the mainland of Europe, and on to Turkey, nine international romance authors share spellbinding love stories told across time. And each begins with a letter…

In 2084, time travelling detective, Tandi Reynolds, tipped off by a letter, needs to stop an assassin before he kills a newly elected leader. When she finds him in 1874, Vienna, it’s clear a cold blooded killer is only one of her problems. Time is fleeting, so falling in love with her contact, the charismatic Count Leopold Radetzky von Radetz, is a bad idea, but keeping her feelings in check is not easy when she relies on him for her every need.

Mason Baylock has returned to his hometown as a newly appointed judge. He’s hoping to reconnect with his high school sweetheart, Shelley Willis, but she’s not interested. To keep him foremost in her mind, he frequents the diner, located across from the courthouse and where Shelley works, on a regular basis. Once a week for the more than the past three months, he’s been asking her out. And, once a week for more than the past three months, she’s been turning him down.

Then one evening, they become locked up in the kitchen’s cooler by accident. That’s when there’s no more escaping—the real conversation begins—and where the heat gets turned on. She can’t deny she isn’t attracted to him, but she’s not about to date someone who shattered her dreams years ago, either. And then, she discovers that there is more to the earth-shattering consequences than even she imagined, which threatens to fracture and splinter life as they know it.

Will both of their dreams be shattered forever? Or does enough of a spark remain that they can rekindle the love they once shared?

Katy Dalton worked hard to save her money. And working with her friend Bruno to invest it seemed like a safe bet. But her job disappears and she needs her money back, everything Bruno has already loaned to Rome Trucking. When Katy insists he return it, Bruno stops answering his phone and bad things start to happen.

Brett Rome is frustrated. The last thing he wants to do is leave a promising career in hockey to come home and run his ailing father’s trucking company. What he discovers is not the successful business that he remembers, but one that is teetering on the very edge of bankruptcy and a young woman demanding the return of the money she invested.

With the company in chaos, Brett hires her. But danger lurks in the form of Bruno’s dubious associates. What secret are they hiding and why are they willing to kill Katy? Can Brett put this broken picture back together, and is Katy part of the solution or the problem?

After and eleven year absence Janna Kincaid inherits a ranch and is forced to return to a town she only remembers with unhappiness, a man to whom she was briefly married and never wants to see again, and someone is trying to kill her.

Kye Hawkins has loved Janna since he first met her. They were married but a few weeks later she ran away, without an explanation. He still hasn’t figured out why. Now she’s coming back. Does she still love him? Can he rekindle the romance and also prevent her from being killed.

Janna doesn’t want Kye’s help in anyway, yet he always seems to be there when she’s in trouble. Can they work together to find a killer, save the Native burial ground and home of the spirits, and find romance again?

Susan English can’t stand Robin Lanford! She’s so full of herself she irritates everyone on the faculty of Fairfield High. When Robin bets Susan fifty dollars that she can’t get a date with Kurt Deveraux, the head football coach, Susan jumps at the chance to put the little heifer in her place. She had no idea that teaching Robin a lesson would irrevocably change her life, strain treasured friendships, and throw two families into chaos.

Dead—her groom-to-be died while she was on her way to Montana!Her escape from a bad situation sent young widow Gormlaith McGowan west as a mail-order bride. What is she to do now that she is in a strange place with almost no money, no prospect of a job, and no idea how she’ll survive? Plus, her late husband’s family wants her hung for his death, though his fall wasn’t her fault. Garrett McDonald hadn’t planned on marrying for several months. When urged by the sheriff to consider a young widow, he agreed to meet with her. One look was all he needed to convince him to wed the beautiful woman. She said she’d had experience with farming and animals and was willing to work hard. But life on a tiny Irish farm hadn’t prepared her for Montana. Gormlaith’s hard work and spirit convince Garrett she is the one for him, but life has surprises in store.

I have Leanna Sain in the Round Pen today. I’ll let her tell you a bit about her book, Red Curtains.

I saw ‘Lily’ while my husband and I were visiting Savannah for our 26th anniversary. We were waiting for a tour bus when she strolled past us, wearing a court jester hat and talking to herself. She walked up to a mailbox by the bus stop proceeded to sprinkle some invisible substance around its base. I cocked an eyebrow at my husband and quipped, “Fairy-dust?” He shrugged, waiting to see what she did next.

She was obviously homeless, and the moment I saw her, my mind started creating her story. As soon as we got on the bus, I began scribbling ideas as fast as my pen could write. Red Curtains is the result.

I know the homeless issue isn’t a comfortable subject, but unfortunately, it’s reality and I hope my book raises awareness. Homeless statistics are staggering, so to help in a small way, I’ll be donating a part of book sales to the “Stand Down” program mentioned in the story.”

***

“Cleo!” she greeted me joyously, as if we were long, lost friends instead of mortal enemies. “It’s so good to see you!”

“Ellie.” Her eyes narrowed at my mispronunciation, but she didn’t correct me. I gave her a cold stare. The only thing that kept me from yanking her out of my seat by her dark rooted, bottle-blond hair was sheer, iron will.

“I saw you come in earlier,” she trilled in her fake- friendly voice. “I wanted to be sure to come tell you ‘hi.’ Imagine my disappointment when I finally made it to your table and found you were gone. But luckily…” she gave Jonas an impudent smile. “…this nice man was good enough to let me sit here and wait for you.”

Finally made it to my table? Yeah, right. I was sure she’d waited—on purpose—for me to leave before she swooped in. I’d seen this act before, and I thought I was ready for it, but I guess I wasn’t. When she finished her little performance with a wink, I think I may have growled.

“Well, that worked out well for you, didn’t it?” My smile was brittle. One false move and my face might shatter into a thousand little pieces. I waited stiffly for her to vacate my seat. Could a person’s blood actually boil?

Jonas was casting an uncertain look between the two of us. I’m sure he was astute enough to feel the undercurrents. He might not understand them, but he had to be aware of them.

Then he sort of jumped, shoulders stiffening, eyes widening in shock as he stared across the table. What was that about? I glanced at Ellie, looking for an answer. Uh-oh. I knew that look. I’d seen her use it often enough. It was her “come and get me” expression—gazing up through her mascara thickened lashes, a seductive smile curving her lips, promising things I didn’t even want to know about—the look that reduced men to puppy-like creatures, eager to please. A movement under the table caught my eye and my jaw dropped. Ellie’s stiletto-clad foot was rubbing suggestively up and down Jonas’ leg. Obviously, Ellie had no intention of relinquishing her spot at the table.

Oh, no you don’t, girlfriend! Not this time! I made a totally out-of-character and utterly rash decision, praying that Jonas would just go with it and that it wouldn’t backfire. I slipped into the seat beside him, snuggling up close. “I like it better on this side, anyway.”

I’ll have to hand it to him. It only took him a split second of startled uncertainty before he dropped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me even closer. He put his lips to my ear, whispering, “I guess you’ll explain what’s going on later?”

His warm breath against my ear caused goose bumps to shiver along my arms and down my legs, but I dimpled up at him and answered, “You know I will.”

Turning to Ellie, I almost shouted over an explosion of laughter from the bar. “Isn’t he a sweetheart? I just love him to death!”

Ellie’s expression had become a bit frosty and I almost giggled with delight. It felt wonderful to be vindicated. Not to mention, it was very, very cozy to be snuggled up against Jonas like this.

She slid toward the outside edge of the seat. “It was good to see you, Cleo. Happy holidays. Nice to meet you, Jonas. Maybe we could meet for a drink sometime?”

“Sounds good,” he said. “I’ll let you set it up with Cleo.”

Ellie’s jaw tightened. “Of course. See you later.” She spun around and stalked away, swaying a little on her four-inch heels.

***

North Carolina native, Leanna Sain, earned her BA from the University of South Carolina, then moved back to her beloved mountains of western NC with her husband. Her “Gate” books have stacked up numerous awards, from Foreword Magazine’s Book-of-the-Year to the Clark Cox Historical Fiction Award from the North Carolina Society of Historians. Sain’s fourth novel, WISH, is a stand-alone, YA crossover.

Her Southern romantic suspense or “GRIT-lit,” showcases her plot-driven method of writing that successfully rolls the styles of best-selling authors Mary Kay Andrews, Nicholas Sparks, and Jan Karon into a delightfully hybrid style that is all her own. Regional fiction lovers and readers who enjoy suspense with a magical twist will want her books.

She loves leading discussion groups and book clubs. For more information or to contact her, visit: www.LeannaSain.com

Thank you for sharing Red Curtains with my readers, Leanna! I think it’s a wonderful thing for you to donate a portion of sales to a good cause most of us don’t even think about in our own daily lives.

Welcome one and all! Enjoy more awesome cover art by the incredible authors, publishers and artists who made them possible for you to gaze upon each month.

It would be great if you leave a comment letting everyone know what you think about them and maybe even check out a few author links to meet those behind the books. Or just say hi. Don’t forget to tell your friends to stop by so they can appreciate some greatness, or get in on the fun, too!

This feature is only to highlight the authors and artists (though if you see one you want to buy I’m sure the authors won’t mind 😆 ). Enjoy this months’ covers to ogle and explore. If there is one provided, you can follow the artist links by clicking on the name, if there’s an artist link provided, to learn more about the amazing creators of these beautiful covers.

There’s a heat level rating for covers, one through four scale, for your benefit. You should never see a *5* rating on the Ranch since I don’t feature anything erotic in nature. If there’s anything else you’d like to know about covers being revealed here, please don’t hesitate to let me know. You can leave it either in a comment or by my contact pagehttps://calisarhose.com/say-hey/.

Producing the dog-themed “12 Days of Christmas” calendar includes dodging dive-bombing birds, tackling runaway pigs, and handling 78 dogs who’d rather play than pose. In the midst of the chaos, will the reunited lovers find their happily ever after?

Annabeth is a hopeless romantic who believes in soul mates. In fact, she’s been writing to hers each year on her birthday since she was 16.

Now, at 34, she’s still holding out hope of finding Mr. Right even though he’d be fighting an uphill battle to gain her trust, thanks to a traumatic experience years before that’s left her unable to commit.

When Annabeth meets a handsome literature professor named Alex on her 34th birthday, she thinks her quest may finally be at an end. Things don’t quite go as planned, so Annabeth resolves to do everything she can over the next year to find the unknown recipient of her letters. But blind dates, Meetup events and online singles sites have nothing on what fate has in store for her when a co-worker unexpectedly quits and Annabeth finds herself working in close quarters with both Alex and her long ago ex, Nick. Fighting her attraction to one and loathing for the other, Annabeth is forced to face all of her old insecurities while keeping an eye on a scheming frienemy who may derail her hopes and dreams.

Written in the tradition of Bridget Jones’ Diary, You’ve Got Mail, and French Kiss, it shows that love on the sweet side can exist for the modern girl, if only she’s willing to trust herself and search hard enough. Been Searching for You was the winner of the 2015 Romance Writers of America Great Expectations and Golden Rose contests.

March Morgan still believes in true love, but her faith in finding her soul mate is slowly vanishing. She’s been married but never in love. So, it is a miracle to find that fantasy exists on the last page of a glossy women’s journal. Mayfair Electronics, Ltd., in black and white, offers Love for Sale. The London firm has engineered sentient androids indistinguishable from humans. She flies to England and meets the man she has been searching for her entire life. Christian requires no programming to love March at first sight. He’s handsome, cultured…absolutely perfect…and a little different from the other androids. He has an unexpected independent streak. March signs on the dotted line, buying her dream man. They return to Houston, but soon her past and his future threaten their Happily Ever After—indeed their lives.

Damien was a loyal warrior, killed in battle in 1203. Because of his true heart, he was given the option to pass on to his eternal reward or exist in another state of being as a protector… until the time came when he could resume living the life he’d been cheated of.

A soldier by nature, he chose the latter. Then he waited centuries—as a gargoyle—growing increasingly bitter about his choice. Then he sees her.

Rina is a hard worker and loyal friend. She just has the worst luck. One night, after saving her best friend from a violent assault, she finds herself at the attacker’s mercy. Then, out of nowhere, a savior comes and rescues her.

With only an angel to guide him, Damien must make the right choices to win Rina’s heart, or be forever damned as a grotesque mockery of the guardian he once was.

Get ready to be enchanted by mythical beasts, magical creatures, and moonlit nights. Enjoy your favorite author, and perhaps discover someone new, in these five fantastic tales of paranormal romance woven with moon, mist, and magic…

A whirlwind holiday romance, a rushed wedding, to living life on a tropical island away from family and friends is a challenge for the newly married couple. Will Chase’s long hours on his latest project kill the marriage before it has a chance to bloom.

A pro hockey player with a rough reputation. An American looking for a taste of adventure. A chance to turn an intense attraction into something more. Photographer Caroline Mendoza finally sheds her safe life in Michigan for adventure and a fresh start, and her first stop is Sweden. But Stockholm suddenly becomes more than just a casual stopover when Caroline discovers her reclusive next-door neighbor is ex-Red Wings player Niklas Almquist, whose high-profile alpha bad-boy image, both on and off the ice, has followed him back to Sweden. While Niklas’s darker side draws her to him, she knows the sensible decision is to move on from Stockholm before she gets too attached. Her time in Stockholm is running out. She must choose between what is safe and what her heart tells her is right. Is she strong enough to take the risk?

Barbara Heyer can hear voices of dead people. They whisper of their deaths, seek comfort for those left behind, and occasionally even warn her about future events. But when Barbara’s brother, Colin, is accused of murder, it will take more than her gift to prove his innocence.

Becoming smitten with the handsome investigator, Detective Patrick Fischer, is a serious complication given his assignment to her brother’s case. Barbara senses there is something far deeper—and perhaps much older—than the surface attraction between them. Could that be why she’s visited by a mysterious woman named Emma in her dreams? Could past life regression tie all the seemingly unconnected events together?

Barbara and Patrick must overcome heartache to find the truth to save Colin, and perhaps themselves.

Leonora Harris fled her newly-wedded husband’s home in Georgian England, 1725, and took shelter in a cave during a rainstorm. She woke up in a cold, barren land and a handsome stranger with a mechanical carriage offered her shelter.

Undercover American operative Rodger Ramsey never expected to find a runaway bride in the magnificent Salar de Uyuni. Assigned to Bolivia to investigate Communist activities, he just wrapped up his two-year mission in 1963 and followed his heart to the salt flats one last time.

Sparks flew and attraction sizzled. The lost, stubborn woman kicked his protective instincts into overdrive. Rodger took her home with him, determined to help her before he returned to the States, and Leonora flourished under his guidance. Their hearts intertwined. He wanted her, needed her, but could he truly love a woman who believed she jumped two hundred years in time?

Will they find a way to stay together, despite the obstacles between them, or will Leonora survive in this strange new world alone?

A move from Paris to New Orleans brings disaster to Elise Plaisance’s predictable life as a lady’s maid. The son of her grief-stricken mistress disappears, and Elise must turn to a devious French Creole capitalist for help. Disguised as a wealthy socialite, she is drawn into a dangerous web of conspiracy and deceit as the threat of war divides the city.

A captain bewitched. . .

A stalwart commander, Captain Jesse Cross doesn’t fancy himself as a lovelorn soldier desperate for a wartime sweetheart until a mysterious French spy captivates his imagination. Elise knows she is losing her heart to a man who will never be hers. Their romance is a frail illusion, born in the darkness of a moonlit courtyard and never meant to last forever.

A future imperiled. . .

The enemy strikes. Both on the battlefield and in the Quarter. Lies are exposed and promises broken. Torn between loyalty and love, Elise must risk everything to rescue her mistress’s son before all is lost. Jesse knows he must stop her even if it means sacrificing his honor and even his life to save a lady.

I don’t typically do standard promo posts, but I think you’ll love this serial, so I’ve made an exception. I’m reading Endless as the Rain, Book #1 right now.

I hope you enjoy this peek at these oh-so addicting books and take advantage of this rare promo and the buy links provided herein.🙂

*****

New Release!

Echo Through the Mist

Book 2 of the Taken Series

Can Adriane handle Stein’s connection to her past and the truth of his motivations?

As Alec and Adriane investigate the reason his father’s old organized crime competitor returned to the city, Adriane eventually realizes Alec is hiding something from her. Will his continued secrecy threaten their relationship? Will the truth of Stein’s motivations rip Adriane away from Alec?

“He didn’t know any exact plans,” Vincent said, “but it’s been decided you have only one real weakness.”

Alec waited.

Vincent’s gaze flickered to me.

Alec’s body tightened until every muscle in his back, chest, and arms rippled. His hand squeezed mine a little too tightly, but I kept holding on. He tremored like a volcano about to erupt.

“Alec, baby,” I murmured.

He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. Vincent centered himself in the doorway, and the others flanked him.

“Alec,” I said.

“Fuck.” Even his voice shook with rage.

I pulled my hand loose and wrapped my arms around him, holding myself to his chest. “Baby,” I whispered.

He continued to tremble.

I’d never seen him this bad before. My hands shook, but I pressed them to his back to steady them. “Please, Alec.”

He wrapped his arms around me, but his body didn’t relax like it usually did.

My heart hammered against my ribs. I squeezed him more tightly, but my contact wasn’t working this time.

Then I realized he wasn’t just angry; he was holding himself back. Trying desperately not to murder Stein.

“I’m here,” I said. “Stay with me.”

He wrapped his arms farther around me as if I were a buoy in the ocean.

“I need you.” My voice shook. “Please, baby.”

His voice barely made sound. “Tell me again.”

“I need you. You can’t leave me.” I squeezed tighter and stood on my toes to press my cheek to his. “I need you right here. With me.”

He pressed his face into my neck, arms so tightly around me his fingers wrapped around my sides.

“I love you,” I whispered in his ear. “I love you. I need you.”

Quiet.

*****

Cover reveal!

Overcast

Prequel of the Taken Series

Alec Kaden is the son of organized crime. But that’s not what causes him to be cold, and anger to crawl up his spine. He trusts his father’s judgment—his mother’s death in childbirth was his fault. Only one person can calm the monster inside him, but he will not allow her to know him, to see through him and find the darkness lurking behind his detachment. Will he forever remain her invisible protector?

*****

Endless as the Rain

Book 1 of the Taken Series

For Adriane Graham, the real question comes down to this: “Am I Alec Kaden’s guest…Or his prisoner?”

If she’s a guest in the Kaden mansion, then it means Alec has freed himself from his family ties to organized crime. It means he’s telling the truth when he says he’s protecting Adriane from dangerous men and they can shake off the shackles of haunted pasts.

…But…

If Adriane Graham is Alec Kaden’s prisoner, it means his tenderness is simply a ruse to keep her under control; his kindness is just poisoned hypocrisy. It means Alec is a cruel liar, and that somehow, by some desperate way, she’s got to get out of this charming man’s well-guarded house before it’s too late.

Is she Alec’s treasured guest? Or merely a pretty bird, trapped in his gilded cage? The troubling questions pour like fountains…flowing…

M.S. Kaye has several awards and published books under her black belt. A transplant from Ohio, she resides with her husband Corey in Jacksonville, Florida, where she tries not to melt in the sun. Find suspense and the unusual at www.BooksByMSK.com.

To receive news on upcoming releases, sign up for email updates on her website.

Popping in to announce JEANNA as Linda’s winner of the $10 Amazon GC! Congrats Jeanna!!!!!!! Whoot!!!!!!!! Thanks to everyone who visited and played!😀

Welcome to the cover reveal with a wonderful friend and Wild Rose Press author, Linda Nightingale! Sit back and learn a new theory of how vampires came to be.🙂

Many years ago…Sinners’ Opera, then called The Vampyre Effect, was the first book I wrote. I loved the hero and followed him everywhere—to parties, concerts, but not the bathroom—and the manuscript grew to over 100,000 words. Needless to say, it had to be trimmed considerably before I could submit it. Sinners’ Opera and its sequel Sinners’ Obsession are both available in eBook and Print from the publisher, Double Dragon Publishing. I began a prequel featuring Morgan’s (the hero) early life and becoming a vampire, but haven’t finished it yet.

Morgan D’Arcy: A Vampyre Rhapsody is a collection of short works cataloging his stroll through the years. Soon to be released by The Wild Rose Press, it should be a good pick for anyone who likes to read about vampires. Try a different variety! My vampires are viral mutations rather than re-animated corpses.

(Calisa says: And in case you’re curious- Linda told me that Vampire (with an I) is an individual. Vampyre (Y) is the race. Nice to know.🙂 )

I don’t have a release date yet from The Wild Rose Press, but I wanted to share the cover and the blurb. Ladies and Gents, I hope you’ll enjoy meeting Morgan D’Arcy, English nobleman, concert pianist…and vampire.

Blurb:

The greatest enemy of a vampire is boredom. Four centuries of existence have taught Lord Morgan Gabriel D’Arcy to fear nothing and no one – humans and their weapons have little chance against his vampire speed and strength. Still, the Vampyre code requires secrecy, and he has learned to hide his nature from the world.

Being the last of his aristocratic British line, he hasn’t given in to his fate or given up the hope to pass his title to an heir. The lure of a return to mortality, of a life in the sun puts Morgan again and again at the mercy of calculating human women. Even grooming a bride of his own from infancy proves to be fraught with heartbreak. And second chances are not always what they seem.

Excerpt:

Good evening,

This book is a journey through the pages of my days. Please allow me to introduce myself.

I am Morgan Gabriel D’Arcy, the Earl of St. Averil, a concert pianist and…a vampire.

Born in 1634, in Devonshire, a county in South West England, I was a young man during the English Civil war and fought with Charles II at the ill-fated Battle of Worcester. By the time he was restored to the throne in 1660, I was a creature of the night.

If I dissect myself into the separate parts listed above, I shall begin with the Earldom. In 1645 when my father perished fighting with the Royalist army at the Battle of Naseby, the title passed to me. My ancestral home, Royal Oak, commands a view of the sea from a hill overlooking a hamlet on the coast of Devon. Most of my time, however, is spent at my London residence in Eaton Place Mews, Belgravia.

As to the classical pianist, I learned my art on the harpsichord from an Austrian genius named Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Later, I studied with Liszt, Ravel and Debussy. In this twenty-first century, I am a celebrated performer in concerts worldwide. Nevertheless, I have played Mr. Piano Man in a smoky piano bar in Charleston, South Carolina to an audience too drunk or too sad to listen, but that’s another story…

I was a fighter pilot in World War II, flying night missions over Nazi Germany. Today, I fly a Lear jet to and from Royal Oak and London, sometimes ferrying members of my brethren to the Europe for continental fare.

The vampire was born in 1659 on a winter night in Paris. Rather than pay time its due, sacrificing youth and beauty, I gave my mortal life to Dominique du Montcleare. To this day, the name Dominique reminds me of the word dominant. My transformation was my reward for winning a cruel wager that ultimately ended eternity for Dominique.

The Vampyre are not walking dead. In a ritual blood exchange, a fragile virus is introduced into the host. The blood borne pathogen is a mutagen. The transformation from mortal to immortal is a mutation of human DNA by the Vampyre virus.

I have embraced my vampire nature, reveling in the hedonism and amorality. I love women to a fault, sometimes to my detriment, sometimes to theirs, as you will see in the following pages.

I sincerely hope you enjoy my reminiscences.

Ever your servant,

Morgan

***

Bio:

A born-and-bred wanderer, born in South Carolina, Linda has lived in England, Canada, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta and Houston. She’s seen a lot of this country from the windshield of a truck pulling a horse trailer, having bred, trained and showed Andalusian horses for many years.

Linda writes all across genres and has won several writing awards, including the Georgia Romance Writers Magnolia Award and the SARA. She is the mother of two wonderful sons, a retired legal assistant, member of the Houston Symphony League and enjoys events with her car club. She loves to dress up and host formal dinner parties.

Thank you for sharing your new cover and book, Linda! Such an interesting take on the vampire world.🙂 For my readers, Linda is generously offering a prize to one lucky commenter. Comment below with your preference of vampire beginnings (viral mutation or living dead) to be entered for a $10 Gift Card for Amazon !

As always, thank you for stopping by and/or subscribing to my blog if you choose to do so!

Welcome one and all! Enjoy more awesome cover art by the incredible authors, publishers and artists who made them possible for you to gaze upon each month.

It would be great if you leave a comment letting everyone know what you think about them and maybe even check out a few author links to meet those behind the books. Or just say hi. Don’t forget to tell your friends to stop by so they can appreciate some greatness, or get in on the fun, too!

This feature is only to highlight the authors and artists (though if you see one you want to buy I’m sure the authors won’t mind 😆 ). Enjoy this months’ covers to ogle and explore. If there is one provided, you can follow the artist links by clicking on the name, if there’s an artist link provided, to learn more about the amazing creators of these beautiful covers.

There’s a heat level rating for covers, one through four scale, for your benefit. You should never see a *5* rating on the Ranch since I don’t feature anything erotic in nature. If there’s anything else you’d like to know about covers being revealed here, please don’t hesitate to let me know. You can leave it either in a comment or by my contact pagehttps://calisarhose.com/say-hey/.

In flight to England, Anne Mackenzie finds a temporary haven in Portugal. When she takes two children into her care, she never dreams that they will be the key to return her home. Lord Westcott can take her to England, and protect her from the dangerous man in her past, but the price is high—a loveless marriage. Unless Anne can thaw the heart of this compelling, aloof stranger, they may be irrevocably bound to a lifetime of unhappiness.

A recluse since the death of his wife and a crippling injury to his daughter, Lord Westcott reluctantly agrees to visit Portugal to search for a missing child. He never imagines he will return with two orphans and a wife—a wife whose dangerous secrets threaten his very life—and his long-frozen heart.

Chance threw them together, but only love can transform an inconvenient wife into his heart’s desire.

A little Greek is one thing; the art of love is another. Only one man ever tried to teach Lady Georgiana Hayden both. Now she has taken on a body of work; translating the poetry of the women of ancient Greece. If it takes a scandalous affair to teach her what she needs to complete her work, she will risk it. Major Andrew Mallet returns to Cambridge a battle scarred hero and would be scholar. His last encounter with Georgiana cost him eleven years of his life. Determined to avoid her, he seeks work to heal his soul and make his scholar father proud. The work she offers risks his career, his peace of mind, and (worst of all) his heart. Can he protect himself from a woman who almost destroyed him? Does he want to?

Jake Carrington is finding out the hard way that rules and regulations are in place for a reason. He dated a victim’s sister a couple of times during the investigation and now Chloe Wagner is the number one suspect in the murder. If convicted Jake could lose his rank or worst, his career. While trying to resolves his cases Jake is faced with a stalker. Someone is hunting him and his current girlfriend Mia Andrews.

He was bred for war. Her magic is only for peace. Together they must fight for love.

Weapons stolen, comrades dead, ship burned and sunk, Valkyn is rotting in Lord Zurvan’s grim dungeon, wondering if he will ever again see his sons. Rescue comes from an unexpected source—the human witch Zurvan sent to patch him up between beatings.

Mari can’t bring herself to let Valkyn die, never mind that the fearsome northern riever is the scourge of her homeland. Yet in him she finds an ally who could help restore the rightful boy king to the throne. And a man who reminds her body there’s life after widowhood.

Their first kiss unleashes pent-up passion she thought was long buried, clouding all the reasons they shouldn’t get involved. But the blood on Valkyn’s hands is anathema to Mari’s magic. If she dares open herself to him fully, he could destroy her.

Valkyn knows his heart has already surrendered to hers. When this quest is over, the real quest will be convincing her that polar opposites not only attract, they belong together—forever.

Katherine expected more than a welcome handshake and a name badge after surviving a shark attack before she arrived at SBW headquarters. But due to the recent violence she is sent along to join the Exchange Team without training to handle the midnight break-ins at an Orlando marine mammal park. Things turn bad when the memory of almost dying in the mouth of a Great White triggers a panic attack, forcing the team leader to suspend the exchange schedule.

He didn’t need an untrained team…

Peal is a SBW Team Leader with more problems than answers. A polluted lagoon, dead dolphins, and two new team members….one, a trigger-happy transfer he doesn’t trust, one, a dark-haired beauty he can’t stop thinking about. And as if that wasn’t enough, the mob doesn’t like Peal staking-out the lagoon they’ve been dumping medical waste in and sends in their hitman to stop the SBW Team.

Time is running out…

If Peal can manage to keep them alive, he still has to convince Katherine they can have more than just one passionate night together. But SBW might have something to say about that as any minute Katherine could be transferred, pulled out of Peal’s life forever.

From the mud and danger of the open road to the welcoming arms of the Sanctuary, from attacks by the dispossessed army to the storms of the open sea, Son of the Emperor takes us on a wild ride into danger and on to the dream of freedom.

The Emperor is defeated but already unrest is growing in the north of Khandarken.

After Julianne Adjudicator’s father disappears, she seeks to escape the clutches of her vicious stepmother Zanata, and flees to the Sanctuary. This is the safest place for a woman in a hostile world of unrest and roving dispossessed. But when Julianne seeks asylum, it soon becomes clear all is not as it first appeared.

Then Abe Farmer arrives at the Sanctuary seeking medical help. Abe isn’t interested in taking a young woman with them, as he and his injured bodyguard struggle to return to the Southern Territory. Yet when he discovers her fate if she stays, he finds he has no choice.

But the journey becomes more dangerous as they encounter the army of the New Emperor. Caught in the middle of a firefight, they flee toward the Catastrophic Ocean. Can Abe keep her safe till they reach home?

San Francisco in 1885 was a dangerous place for those who crossed Colin Doyle. To Nob Hill elite he was a successful businessman. To the underbelly of San Francisco he was The Mick, a criminal mastermind ruling from the shadows. If a buyer’s tastes ran to opium, a whore, or a politician, The Mick could name a price. No one who betrayed him ever escaped the city alive.

Until now.

Nell Bishop is a fearless investigative reporter for the San Francisco Dispatch. She’s on the run to the Arizona Territory with the one witness who can expose Doyle’s corrupt empire and stop the plan to extend his evil dominion to the West.

Marshal Sam Tanner of Spirit Ridge in the Arizona Territory fought the visions sent by his Apache blood. They always foretold a death he couldn’t prevent. Then Sam dreamed of the coyote with golden brown eyes who warned of a black shadow spreading evil across the land. Did the message call him to help the beautiful woman who stepped off the stagecoach? Can Sam and Nell elude the mysterious dark riders who dog their trail or will the next vision mean death for both of them?

Adventure, romance, humor, and the call of Apache spirits weave together a Wild West adventure where either murder or justice can come at the twitch of a trigger finger.

A little bit about me. I lived most of my life in Iowa, and since I’ve retired, I now spend my winters in Florida just outside the Disney Parks and my summers in Iowa. I started my college career majoring in anthropology, but when I realized I’d have to do field work to gain higher degrees in this area—you know, tents, bugs, no air conditioning, no Diet Coke—I switched my major to American History. My plan was to teach at the community college level once I received my Masters Degree, but when I could only get hired on a part-time basis, I took a job in human resources management with Iowa State government, although we called it Personnel Administration back then. My husband and I were both floor counselors in the dorm system our senior year in college. I met him in sensitivity training. The class focused on non-verbal communication. The thought freaked my future husband, so he spent his time making faces. Needless to say, I wasn’t impressed at that point. It took running into him a few more times to convince me this was the guy for me. We now have two grown children and eight grandchildren.

When I’m not working in my lovely new office upstairs, my writing area is my easy chair in the living room. What does your writing space look like?

My writing space is my own private retreat in both locations. Both are comfy with either a loveseat or sofa for relaxing when breaks are needed. The walls of both are filled with pictures and items that are special to me. Framed photos of three of my favorite authors, Nora Roberts, Linda Howard and Janet Evanovich, stare down at me and provide motivation in my Florida office. I gaze out on six palm trees in the courtyard below. In Iowa, I look out on a boulevard. All day I see people walking their dogs, parents and grandparents with strollers and kids and adults on bikes, roller skates and skateboards. I love to watch all the activity. Some of the teapots and teacups I’ve collected over the years adorn two sets of wall shelves. Since it is just my husband and me, I enjoy long periods of uninterrupted writing time, which I cherish. But if I have to, I can be mobile with my writing space, since I use a laptop.

For a lot of writers it’s a life-altering event coming up with titles and character names. Others it comes as naturally as breathing. Which is it for you?

Most of my books have experienced more than one title prior to publication. I needed to get into the book, maybe even finish the first draft, before the essence I wanted to convey in the title came to me. I struggled naming the first book in my “Sullivan’s Creek” series. It features two architects with very different approaches to design who are forced to work together. At first, I focused too much on their occupation; I kept trying to find catchy ways to use “Blueprint.” Finally, I realized what really brings them together is the Salsa dancing class they teach together so they can learn more about their target audience, baby boomers. Once I came up with Saved by the Salsa, I’d set my course for the next two books in the series. I had my two titles before I had any stories for them. Tough Enough to Tango was released last year and Not Your Mama’s Mambo should be released later this year. But here’s a caveat: as much as I love those titles, finding covers has been a challenge.

My latest release, Keeping It Casual, just came to me, because that’s the whole point of the story, until the H/H realize what they have with each other is much more than casual. It was originally going to be titled The Escape Clause, because the first book in the series was titled The Sleepover Clause and I wanted “clause” to be in each title. But that just didn’t work for the second book. I wanted something “sexy” but not overtly sensational. After much thought, I finally arrived at Seduction on Wheels rather than The Travel Clause. I probably agonized over that one and Salsa the most.

What advice would you offer aspiring and new writers?

From others, never stop learning. With yourself, never stop analyzing your own work.

I recently attended a Michael Hauge workshop at the RWA Annual Conference in San Diego. I’ve heard him speak before on more than one occasion, but this time his words and writing advice struck me differently because I had more writing experience under my belt. When I returned home, I reread my current work in progress and, thanks to his class, realized why this manuscript wasn’t resonating with me. I didn’t need to rewrite the story, but I did need to add more depth to my characters. His advice was invaluable.

The constant shift of the industry makes me often scratch my head and ask ‘what next?’ So, what do you think it takes to be a successful author at the moment?

Don’t I wish I knew, but I’ll give this a shot. First, every writer needs to determine for herself what “success” means to her: having a bestseller, making lots of money, getting published, seeing your name online somewhere. I’m still at the point in my career when a heartfelt fan letter is much appreciated. I don’t need to know that I changed someone’s life, but it’s wonderful to learn that for the space of time it took them to read one of my books, they learned something or applied something I wrote to their own life or, and this is my favorite, I made them laugh.

I write because I have to write…for myself. It gives me great joy to bring my imagination to life on the computer screen. Every book is a journey that starts with a protagonist desiring something they don’t have or cannot do without overcoming what at the start appears to be an insurmountable challenge, and it’s up to me to guide them to a satisfactory end.

Who would you like to meet in the publishing industry- dead or alive- and why?

For romance novels, I wish I would have had the opportunity to meet Kathleen Woodiwiss. I never imagined myself writing a romance novel until I read Shana and then The Flame and the Flower. Yes, she wrote of damsels in distress who needed the strong alpha male to help them save themselves, but she also conveyed deep emotion that touched the heart and made you want to root for the heroine up until the last page. And to be frank, her sex scenes struck another kind of note that made you keep reading long after midnight.

For mystery novels, I would have liked to meet Dame Agatha Christie. Where Woodiwiss focused on emotion, Christie highlighted the cerebral. Figuring out whodunit before the end of one of her mysteries was a favorite pastime, because her heroes, Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot, in particular, used their “little gray cells” to discern motive and then apply it to means and opportunity to solve the case. I’m more a fan of the mystery than the suspense or thriller.

It’s time for some fun! I’ll ask the questions and you answer them in one word.😆

Favorite animal? cat

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? spring

Favorite food? pizza

Well done! J So let’s share a bit.

What are you working on now?

Not Your Mama’s Mambo is currently in galley stage and hopefully will be out before Christmas because it ends on that holiday. I’m also working on a new series, yet to be named, that features different types of cable interest shows.

What are you sharing today?

Today I’m sharing from Keeping It Casual.

Talent manager Alex Appleby needs Geoff McKenna’s help. Her vicious client is threatening the reputation of Alex’s television-star father if Alex can’t convince her stepsister to go along with the client’s demand. Alex turns to Geoff to make the case to her sister.

Geoff has his own proposition for Alex. Thus far, his case of multiple sclerosis has been mild, but he’s unsure of his future. When his girlfriend pushes for a stronger commitment, he enlists Alex as his new pretend love interest so his girlfriend will break things off.

When they discover they actually are attracted to each other, they agree to keep things casual, since Alex is only in town briefly and Geoff isn’t interested in anything serious. But fate intervenes as their feelings deepen. Alex must decide whether to relocate to Iowa from LA, and Geoff must place faith in his future.

Excerpt:

Around a hundred miles, he turned onto I-29 to go north.

He pulled off at the first exit and headed for a fast food place. This had been fun. Best time he’d had in days. He sat back and slapped his thighs.

Alex returned an “I-told-you-so” look.

In response, without giving it further thought, he gripped her shoulders, brought her toward him, and kissed her.

When he released her, she breathed out, “That was unexpected.”

“For me, too. But not at all unpleasant.”

She remained only inches away, her breath grazing his face. Her eyes didn’t leave his. Without uttering a word, she invited him to return to the scene of the crime. So he did. Big time.

When she didn’t back away, he increased the pressure on her mouth, drew her closer, his arms encasing her, his right hand massaging her back. His left hand remained at her waist, awaiting its destination.

Though spontaneous—yeah, there’d been some kind of vibes going on since Pella, but it wasn’t like they’d been flirting or engaged in more serous sexual byplay—neither seemed shocked nor turned off by their actions. It was like they’d both been waiting for some sign from the other since the day they first met.

When had he last made out in a car? Not since college. Maybe even high school. Forgotten how the intimacy of front seat lip lock could give a guy such guilty pleasure. Could send his insides into overdrive, even in broad daylight.

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